Smael Mondon Jr. injury update: Georgia linebacker will play vs. Clemson

Georgia linebacker Smael Mondon Jr. will play against Clemson on Saturday, according to On3’s Pete Nakos.

Mondon Jr. was arrested earlier this offseason on misdemeanor reckless driving and racing charges. The confirmation comes after it was announced that Bulldogs running back Trevor Etienne was suspended for the season opener stemming from his DUI arrest. Both Georgia players have since had their respective charges dropped.

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“I don’t think they could have proved racing or reckless driving,” Billy Healan, who is Mondon’s attorney, told the Athens Banner-Herald. “There just wasn’t a race. Smael took off too fast from a traffic light. He accelerated too quickly. He’s driving a Dodge Hellcat which has very loud exhaust. It’s going to get people’s attention, it’s going to get the police’s attention. Accelerating quickly from a traffic light doesn’t mean you’re racing the person that happens to be you.”

His attorney also told the Banner-Herald that “there was no one that was endangered,” by Mondon, and that “there were no other cars that had to swerve or get out of the way.”

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Athens-Clarke County Solicitor General Will Fleenor filed a motion to dismiss on August 6th and Judge Charles Auslander III approved the motion the next day.

“After a careful review of the evidence, including footage from downtown cameras, it is clear the State will not be able to prove Reckless Driving beyond a reasonable doubt,” Fleenor wrote. There was also a second citation that Fleenor dismissed “in the interest of justice.”

An All-SEC second-team selection in 2023, Mondon Jr. made 11 starts this season and tallied 68 total tackles, five tackles for loss and two quarterback hits in 13 games. He has 154 career tackles and five sacks and was a part of Georgia back to back national championship victories.

Before college, Mondon was ranked as a five-star recruiting coming out of high school, according to the On3 Industry rankings, a proprietary algorithm that compiles ratings and rankings from all four primary recruiting media services.

The opening kickoff between the Bulldogs and Tigers is scheduled for Noon ET and will air live on ABC and ESPN+.

On3’s Matt Connolly contributed to this report.